HOUSTON—You have to think that, after the bizarre three-minute press conference held by the NBA’s players association here at the Hilton downtown, the members of that association are all too aware that their former leader, Billy Hunter, is not going down without a fight.

After union president Derek Fisher delivered his decidedly brief speech, he folded up his notes and walked away, without taking questions—most likely because he knew that the more anyone says on the situation that the NBPA is in, the more fodder they’ll give Hunter should the whole mess wind up in the courts.

Hunter was voted out—unanimously—of his post as the union’s executive director, a job he held for more than 16 years. He leaves amid scandal, as an internal investigation found that Hunter engaged in rampant nepotism, used union funds to prop up bad investments and, as the last straw, pushed through a contract for himself without going through proper channels. He is the subject of investigations by the New York State and U.S. attorneys general, as well as the Labor Department.

“No threats, no lies, no distractions will stop us from serving our membership,” Fisher said. “We do not doubt that this process will possibly continue in an ugly way.”

Hunter released a statement after his dismissal was announced, suggesting that he would be taking legal action.

“My legal team and I will begin carefully reviewing the actions taken and statements made against me in the meeting room in my absence,” Hunter said. “I look forward to gathering the evidence showing how certain individuals made sure the outcome was pre-ordained.”

Hunter obviously has a case. The internal investigation found no criminal wrongdoing by Hunter, only that he systematically put his own interests ahead of those of the players. Though his contract might be shady, it is legal. But when it came time for the players to vote on Hunter’s case Saturday afternoon, Hunter was told he would be barred from the room.

That’s why this thing isn’t ending. Hunter should have been given a chance to defend himself in front of the group he has represented.

It was reported that Fisher, among others, worried that Hunter might talk his way into keeping his job, as though the players in the room were so misinformed and small-minded, they would not see past his bluster and look at the facts of the investigation when it came time to vote on him.

That is insulting to the union members, as if they could not be trusted to vote against giving millions to a charlatan selling them magic beans. Every player in the room knew Hunter’s time was up, but by not letting him address the crowd first, the union leaves itself open for Hunter to sue.

Anyone who has watched Hunter during his tenure as the union chief knows that, now that the bridge has been burned, he won’t hesitate to go after those who deposed him in court, no matter what dirt might have to be made public.

In fact, making dirt public might be his best weapon at this point.

During the last collective-bargaining negotiations, during which the rift between Hunter and Fisher became a chasm, word was leaked that Fisher was poised to sell out the union by accepting a bad deal for the players, in hopes that he would curry enough favor to get a front-office job when he retired.

It doesn’t take a whole lot of dot-connecting to trace that story back to Hunter. Should a case hit the courts, expect more of the same.

Hunter’s other most significant adversaries, the league’s most prominent agents, could be dragged into the mess of a court case, too.

Arn Tellem, whose firm represents dozens of players, has been the most vocal and public critic of Hunter in recent years, but every major agent has maneuvered behind the scenes for Hunter’s removal from office. If Hunter has dirt on any of them he could very well use it—and remember, agent vs. agent squabbles go through the union, so it is very likely he has dirt to share if he so chooses.

All in all, there were some positives to take out of the day for the NBPA. One of the strongest voices in the meeting was that of LeBron James, the league’s biggest star. There was, top to bottom, a sense that players in the room needed to be more involved in their union, and give the job to someone on whom they will keep regular tabs, someone won’t deal in the shadows the way Hunter did, someone who won’t create and hide behind internal strife as a means of self-protection.

“We will no longer be divided, misled and misinformed,” Fisher said. “This is our union. We’re taking it back.”

Unfortunately, though, they won’t be taking it back without a fight.

“I do not consider today's vote the end,” Hunter said, “only a different beginning.”